Scandal of illegal sterilizations, Commission’s response

Parliamentary Questions

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1985/03

Submission: Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Commission

(04 June 2003)

E-1985/03GR

Response of Mr. Verheugen

On behalf of the Commission

(31.7.2003)

The Commission is aware of the allegations published in a report by the “Center for Reproductive Rights” in early 2003, according to which women from the Roma community were sterilized without their consent or were coerced into doing so by doctors in Eastern Slovakia. The report also addresses the issue of violations of other human rights, such as discrimination regarding access to relevant healthcare centers and medical records.

As already mentioned in the answers to Questions E-0434/03 by Mr. Meijer[1], E-0575/03 by Ms. Maes[2], and P-1630/03 by Ms. Maes[3], the Commission immediately raised the relevant issue in a letter to the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Mr. Dzurinda, emphasizing that these allegations raised serious concerns and, if confirmed, would constitute a serious violation of human rights in the event that public authorities supported or tolerated such incidents or failed to take appropriate legal action. Furthermore, the Commission requested the Slovak authorities to conduct the necessary criminal investigations, to cancel any discriminatory measures, and to keep the Commission informed about the proceedings.

In his response, the Prime Minister of Slovakia informed the Commission that the relevant authorities, after setting up a special investigative team, began criminal investigations. Moreover, the advisor to the Minister of the Interior on Roma issues, who is also a member of the Roma community, took on the role of advising this team, as well as the Ministry of Health and the Slovak Gynecological Society, maintaining close contact with the team members. Furthermore, the Council of Europe recently sent an investigative committee to Eastern Slovakia tasked with investigating the issue of sterilization.

The Commission will continue to closely monitor the developments regarding the proceedings and the findings of the investigations and, if deemed appropriate and necessary, may take further measures.

[1] ΕΕ C

[2] ΕΕ C

[3] ΕΕ C